Oh My God

"I would rather be on my bike and think about God, than be in the temple and think about my bike", read the status message on my cousin's orkut profile.
I just smiled. I could quite relate what he had to say.

As a child i remember my parents teaching us Manache shloak, maruti stotra, ram raksha and several other prathanas taught in all hindu families. Aai made sure that every morning we stood in front of the devara and recited "Sada Sarvada" and "Shubhan karoti" in the evenings. Sometime later an astrologer suggested that we recite "Om Gam Ganapataye namaha" jap 108 times a day, and that would help us progress in life. For several months, I did. I used to get bored doing that, but I did it, because I had to.

Not any more I would say.
I am a firm believer in God, and i have my own way of connecting with him.
I don't join my hands and stand in front of the devara everyday. I don't recite prarthanas and do mantras and japs. I don't go to the mandirs and offer my prayers in exchange for some dakshinas. I don't fast on chaturthis and sankasthis.
Does that make me believe in God any lesser. Or does God get upset with me for that and blesses me any lesser. Well, I don't think so. And I don't really care. After all , who are people to judge me on that.

I am not a God fearing person. Why would you fear God, i fail to understand. I have special relationship with God. More of a God loving person, you can say. I look at him as someone i can share all my thoughts and problems with. Every time i am happy, I thank him for putting that bit of happiness in my life. When i am upset, or unable to decide what is right for me, i ask him to help me make the right decision. And when i am really unable to take the pain, i ask him to give me the strength and the courage to face and overcome the obstacle .

And every time I ask God for something, I am rewarded. Always. But only with, what i truly deserve.